Michael J. Fox Participates in 9/11 Charity Event

(AP) Michael J. Fox participates in 9/11 charity eventBy NEKESA MUMBI MOODYAP Entertainment WriterNEW YORKMichael J. Fox is doing his part to make the anniversary of 9/11 about helping others.

The actor is spending Tuesday participating in the Cantor Fitzgerald’s Charity Day, along with a host of other celebrities. Cantor Fitzgerald, the financial firm that lost 658 employees in the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, has marked the anniversary of that day by raising funds for charities; this year, more than 100 are expected to benefit.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research is among the day’s beneficiaries. Fox has been afflicted by the disease for years, is a strong supporter of stem cell research and has lobbied in Washington in his battle to eradicate Parkinson’s.

Fox added that he was grateful for the support from the financial community: “I like to joke that Alex Keaton was the role model for so many of these guys, so maybe they had a special place in their hearts for me and my work,” referring to the capitalist-loving character that made him famous some three decades ago.

Fox is returning to sitcoms after a decade-long absence. He’s working with NBC on a show that will touch on his Parkinson’s struggles; it is set to debut next year.

Fox took time off from television while he was dealing with Parkinson’s, which degrades the central nervous system and can cause slurred speech and impaired motor skills.